IF ORDERED IN PLASTIC CASES, THE ENTIRE COLLECTION COMES IN ONE CASE, WHICH HOLDS MULTIPLE DVDs:

9 DVD collectible set for the Willi Forst fan, all subtitled:

ALLOTRIA (1936) * with switchable English subtitles *

Two friends, who end up in turmoil and amorous troubles thanks to promises, secrets and outright confusion. Although the plantation owner Philipp and his best friend, the race car driver David, have given their word never to fall in love with the same woman, this seems to be exactly what has happened. Instead of taking care of his girlfriend Amy, Philipp took an ocean cruise and promptly fell in love with Viola, but then renounced claiming her when he had the chance. Visiting his old friend, he mistakingly believes David has married Viola; and although David wants to tell him the truth that Gaby is his wife, it takes a long while for the truth to come out ... with the result that revenge soon takes the place of confusion.

Watching Willi Forst's wonderful, screwball comedy - released at the time of the Berlin Olympics in 1936 - it's almost possible to imagine a 1930s Germany, in which Nazism never happened. This is an elegant, fast-paced film drawing on some of the classiest comedy talent Germany had to offer at the time; and self-consciously modern, with its cocktails, ocean liners, racing car drivers and drop-dead art deco interiors. Anton Walbrook is suitably Errol Flynn-like as the handsome lady killer Phillip, while Heinz Ruehmann is, for once, overshadowed by his co-stars. It's the women who steal the show here, including the excellent Renate Mueller, who also starred inViktor, Viktoriaand habitually played modern, emancipated types. But the film belongs even more to Hilde Hildebrandt as the vampish Amy, who better than anyone else in this ensemble piece knows how to camp it up to the max when necessary.

BEL AMI (1939) *with switchable English and German subtitles*

Shortly after being demobilized, Georges Duroy becomes aware of his power over women in the arms of Rachel, a young singer. Thanks to his good looks and his charming manners and his unabashed cynicism, he will rapidly rise to the top courtesy of numerous women (Mme Walter, Clotilde, Madeleine), from journalist to member of Parliament to cabinet minister. But it is also the fair sex that will cause his fall in the end.

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES AND GERMAN SUBTITLES FOR THE HARD-OF-HEARING.

APPROX. 94 MINS. EXCELLENT DIGITAL QUALITY.

BRENNENDES GEHEIMNIS (1933) * with switchable English subtitles *

Twelve year old Edgar is on vacation with his mother -- a lawyer's wife -- in Switzerland. While there, they meet Baron von Haller, who drives a fancy car, which causes exciting enthusiasm in Edgar. The baron uses the boy's admiration to get to his mother, who doesn't seem averse to an affair. Edgar sees through the game the adults are playing and feels betrayed. Angry, he smashes the baron's windshield and runs home to his father.

·Sharpness of picture? - minor softness and dropouts throughout the picture. very good quality

LENGTH OF FEATURE FILM: 82 mins.

BURGTHEATER (1936) * with switchable English subtitles *

Friedrich Mitterer, the grand, old actor in the Burg Theatre of Vienna, who has achieved everything in his career, which is to be achieved, falls in love with the daughter of a master tailor, the beautiful Leni. Leni, however, is in love with the young and unknown actor Josef Rainer, who would do anything to act just once on the stage of the Burg Theatre. Leni manages to get Rainer an invitation to a reception being thrown by Baroness Seebach, and because of that, gets a small part at the theatre. But that has come with a price: the baroness has fallen in love with him and when the baron finds out about it, he takes Rainer to task, who is then fired from his job at the theatre and threatens to commit suicide. Leni is desperate and in the end, it is Mitterer, who recognizes that Leni and Rainer belong together.

DAS LIED IST AUS (1930) * with switchable English subtitles *

Das Lied ist Aus(The Song Is Ended)is a typical early-talkie German musical in every respect, save one: The story, concerning the lives and loves of show folk, ends unhappily -- and surprisingly so. The doleful denouement didn't seem to have much effect on the film's box-office appeal, sinceDas Lied ist Ausproved a major moneymaker. Perhaps this was due to the stellar line-up of Willy Forst, Liane Haid and Ernesto Verberes, three of Germany's most popular screen personalities. One suspects that the lilting melodies of Robert Stoltz (ofTwo Hearts in Three-Quarter Timefame) were also instrumental to the film's success.

·Sharpness within the border features (inside the borders of the face, for example)? - reasonably so

·Other notable issues? - very good quality film with some softness

LENGTH OF FEATURE FILM: 94 mins.

DER HERR AUF BESTELLUNG (1930) * with switchable English subtitles *

Eloquent Carry Clips can find employment as a keynote speaker for every occasion. His assistant Lillebil loves him, but he’s a confirmed bachelor. One day, the strongly inhibited Professor Wielander engages him to give a lecture at the “Modern Club” … that is, hidden and speaking, while the professor mouths the words. The theme of the lecture is “marriage”. When the lecture is delivered, the Baroness von Lindenworth falls in love with the professor; but mainly because of his wonderful voice!

·Sharpness of picture? - unsharp, especially when the subject matter is not close up; otherwise, quite good quality overall

LENGTH OF FEATURE FILM: 81 mins

DER PRINZ VON ARKADIEN (1932) * with switchable English subtitles *

Willi Forst ably essays the title role in the frothy musicalDer Prinz von Arkadien. Preferring to write songs and dally with the local damsels rather than concentrate on matters of state, young prince Forst is ordered to leave Arcadien and go into brief exile. This suits him fine, as he never cared for the responsibilities of his office anyway. Upon taking up residence in a tiny European village, Forst falls in love with actress Lianne Haid, who does not recognize him. Unbeknownst to Forst, Haid was also exiled from Arcadien for singing a song unfavorable to the "playboy prince." Returning to her homeland, she intends to humiliate the prince in public but changes her mind when she discovers Forst's true identity. And that's only half the plotline!

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES.

QUALITY (of feature film only):

·Sharpness of picture? - poor quality film with unclear, blurry and dark picture

LENGTH OF FEATURE FILM: 80 mins

DER RAUB DER MONA LISA (1931) *with switchable English subtitles*

A crime comedy based on the actual theft of the Mona Lisa by the Italian painter, Vincenzo Peruggia in 1911. In the film, Peruggia steals the painting from the Louvre to impress the cleaning lady Mathilde, who wants someone to do something big for her. But when the fickle Mathilde gets the hots for another guy, Peruggia gives the painting back to Italy and is arrested. Attracted by the worldwide headlines surrounding the crime, Mathilde arrives in Florence, where Peruggia is standing trial. Mathilde believes that the facts of the trial will put her at center stage. But when Peruggia sees her in the gallery and understands why she is there, he has no intention of satisfying her ego.

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH switchable ENGLISH SUBTITLES. APPROX. 82 MINS. COMBINED TOTAL. DECENT, USED-VHS-LIKE FILM QUALITY OVERALL.

EIN BLONDER TRAUM (1932) *with switchable English subtitles*

When one watches a very old film, one has to expect something old-fashioned and rather fuddy-duddy. When one watches an old film, the script of which was co-written by Billy Wilder, one can expect something that is, above all, extremely funny and a pleasure to watch. Two window-cleaners with identical first names, one decent, the other more impulsive, compete in achieving the favour of a young girl, who dreams of being an actress in Hollywood.

THERE IS A NEWSREEL PREVIEW BEFORE THE FILM, JUST AS GERMAN AUDIENCES MIGHT HAVE SEEN WHEN THE MOVIE WAS FIRST SHOWN (except this newsreel may not be contemporary to when the film was released).

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES. APPROX. 109 MINS. COMBINED TOTAL. VERY GOOD FILM QUALITY OVERALL.

PLEASE NOTE: We had this film listed before, but had to pull it due to interlacing issues. We have done some digital repairing to the film and while some scenes --- like the dance number --- has bad interlacing problems, the rest of the film is not as badly affected.